Lawn-mower.



R. K. ORTT.

LAWN MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. UL 1913. 1,134,899, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

a snnms-snnm 1.

R. K. ORTT.

LAWN MOWER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1913.

3 Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ROWLEY K. OBTT, 0F DIXON, ILLINOIS.

LAWN-MOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application flied October 18, 1913. Serial No. 795,959.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, RowLEY K. O R'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dixon, Lee county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mowing machines; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical expression from among other possible constructions and arrangements within the spirit and scope of the invention.

An object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in, mowing machines, of the rotary-cutting-reel lawn-mower type whereby the stationary orvhorizontal knife will be yieldingly held to or cushioned in operative position with respect to the cutting knives of the rotar cutter reel, and whereby said relatively xed knife is renderedreadily adjustable-toward and from its operative position to take up wear or to suit varying service conditions.

A further object of he invention isto provide certain improvements in arrangements and constructions of parts and elements whereby an improvedv and highly Sat! isfactory rotary cutter lawn mower will be produced. I

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction, and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and specified hereinafter.

built in accordance with my inventiomone of the ground wheelsbeing shown in horizontal section so that the frame side receivtion taken in the plane of the line 3-3,. Fig. 2, the blades and arms of the cutting;

reel being omitted. Fig. 4, is'a detail section taken transversely of the cutting '1' Referring to the accompanying draw-' shaft and on a larger scale than that of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, is a detail bottom perspective of the bed or head carrying the stationary blade. i

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings, I show a pair of alined driving or ground wheels 1, confined to rotate on hollow bosses or journals 3, integral with and projecting outwardly from the frame sides or plates 2. The rims or treads of these wheels are formed by annular flanges projecting inwardly toward said sides and overhanging portions thereof and formed with internal gears 4. These gears are relatively narrow so that each rim or flange is formed with a relatively smooth annular surface between its edge and its internal gear, although my invention is not so limited, nor is my invention limited to the manner of mounting the drive wheels. The internal gears l, of'the drive wheels mesh with pinions 5, on the ends of the rotary cutter shaft 6. The shaft 6, carries the cutting reel comprising spirally arranged cutters or blades 7, and said shaft is mounted in the frame sides and projects therethrough to receive the pinions 5, removably arranged on the ends of the shaft in mesh with the internal gears of the drive wheels and operatively coupled to the cutter reel shaft through the medium of any suitable ratchet or other mechanism the rotary cutter reel will. be rotated when the machine is moved forwardly, but so that the pinions will run loosely on the ends of said shaft without rotating the same, when the machine is moved rearwardly.

I provide a relatively fixed or stationary blade or knife to cooperate with the cutters or blades of the rotary reel in severing the grass or other vegetation. This stationary, bed, or wiper knife consists of a bladeholder or head 10, extending between the rear end portions. of the frame sides and provided with and carrying the blade. 11. This blade 11, is arranged longitudinally of the head at the front edge portion there: of and projects upwardly and forwardly therefrom so that the blades of the rotary cutter will successively swee the top front longitudinal edge 9, of the b ade 11 and cooperate therewith in cuttingas will be understoodv bythose skilled in the art. The

blade 11, is removably clamped to theinnder sideof the head by one or more screws 12,

passing upwardly through holes in the rear portion of the blade and entering threaded adapted to rock on its horizontal pivot to elevate and depress the front longitudinal cutting edge 9, of the blade, and is yieldingly supported or upheld to normally main tain said cutting edge at its limit or? up ward movement, 2'. e. in operative cutting osition. In the present instance, the head is carried by and rockable on an axis arranged longitudinally thereof and extending between and secured to the rear end portions of the frame sides and serving also to rigidly connect, brace and clamp together said portions of the frame sides. For instance, ll show said end portions of the frame sides formed with transverse perforations and at their inner faces having cups or sockets 18, around said perforations. A removable straight stid cylindrical tube or pipe len h 18, extends between said portions of the rame sides and at its ends fits or centers in said sockets, and a removable tie bolt or rod 17, extends through said perforations and said pipe length and is provided with a head and nut at the outer surfaces of said frame sides to rigidly clamp the frame sides against the pipe ends and thereby fixedly clamp the pipe between the frame sides and thereby form a strong rigid structure. ()bviously, my invention is not limited to employing the pipe length as the 7 same result can be accomplished by employing the tie bolt or rod with stops or shoulders to engage the inner surfaces of the frame sides.

The. under side or the head 10, is preterably, formed with a longitudinal groove or depression 10, loosely receiving the pipe,

and at its ends the head is formed with rearat the limit of upward movement toward.

the rotary cutting reel by expansive coiled springs 20, abutting the upper faces of the rearwardly extending end projections 10, of the head and fitting around lugs 22, ex-' tending up from the rojections, and at their upper ends abutting ugs'or cars 23, projecting inwardly from and rigid with the end portions of the frame sides The springs are confined to the ears 23, by an of the blade is determined by the ivertically disposed longitudinally adjustable screws 26, carried by and extending through and vertically adjustable in ears/27 projecting inwardly from the frame si s. The lower ends of these screws abut the upper faces of the front end corners of the head and thereby limit the upward movement of the cutting edge of the blade. 'llhese screws can be adjusted to elevate or depress the nor mal position of the cutting edge of the blade to attain and to maintain the desired cooperatlng relation between said edge of the blade and the cutters oi; the rotary reel.

The springs baclring or cushioning rockable head and its blade maintain a yielding engagement between said blade and the cutters of the rotary reel whereby an exceedingly efiicient cutting action is attained, and furthermore, the springs permit the head to rock under abnormal pres sure such as might be caused by i oreign bodies catching between the blade and cutter oi the rotary reel. Materialadvantages are attained by thus providing a blade that will yield or give in a direction it to seriously damage the parts engaged thereby.

The head is preferably comparatively wide and is usuallytransversely, concaved at its upper face so that the cutters or the rotary reel can sweep upwardly and rearwardly thereover to carry the cut grass rearwardly therefrom.

Tn rear of the head T provide a roller 28, to uphold the rear end. oi the frame or the mower, and this roller is preferably can ried by and mounted in the lower-ends oil brackets 29. I The brackets 29, are vertically elongated and-are formed with longi tudinal slots, These brackets are coed in vertical or longitudinal adient, in. ver

tical slidewaysfill, termed at the er lface's' oil the rear ends of the frame aides, and.

bolts 3i, adjustably secure the brackets in said slideways and to said frame sides These bolts extend through the longitudi frame sides an 1918% 't in If so? desired, the

toothed or notched. approximately I as shown,

The front] portions of the frame sides are connected and braced by a rigid-rod 33,,

having shouldeii s 'at its end portions against which theinner surfaces of the frame sides abut, while rod is formed with reduced ends projectin 'removably through the through the hollow bosses 3, of the frame sides, while nuts and washers 34, are arranged on the projecting outer ends of, the rods to tightly fit against the outer ends of the bosses to rigidly lock the frame sides together and to confine the driving wheels on said bosses. This rod in effect forms and constitutes the rigid or fixed axle of the machine, and if so desired, a propelling handle, not shown, can be coupled thereto, or abut thereagainst, or other means can be suitably attached to the machine for propelling the same. The frame sides or plates 2, are usually similar and are arranged at the inner sides of the lower halves of the wheels, leaving the upper halves of the inner sides of the wheels and their gears open for inspection, oiling and cleaning. The body, front or main portion of each side is ap roximately semicircular in form to coni n'm to the lower half of the adjacent drive wheel and is formed with an outwardly projecting semicircular flange 35, arranged within and spaced from the wheel rim to cover the lower half of the inner side of the rim.

The fixed axle of the machine extends between the top edge portions ofsaid semicircular front or main portions of the frame sides. The rotary cutting reel shaft is arranged in rear of the fixed axle and extends between and is mounted in the top portions of the rear parts of said main portions of the sides. Said top rear portions of the sides are formed at their outer sides I abutting surfaces of said brackets and the frame sides can be with boxes or compartments 36, receiving the pinions 1n mesh with the gears of the drive wheels and the pawl andratchet connections between said pinions and the shaft,

andthe otherwise open outer sides of these boxes are closed by removable lates 37.

..'The frame sides are forme with approximately fiat rearward extension 2, be-

tween whlch the stationary horizontal blade and its head and the roller are arranged and by which said parts are supported at the rear of themachine.

It is evident that various changes,-variations and modifications might be resorted to without departing from; the spirit and scope of my invention, and .hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

What I claim is;-

In a lawn mower, in combination, frame sides, a rotary cutting reel, operatin means therefor, a frame-side spacmg-a'n -clamping tie and axis-forming connection, a vertically rockable bed arranged between said frame sides over and supported by and rockable on said connection and having a front longitudinal cutting edge coiiperatwith said cutting reel, said sides pro- W e d with vertically adjustable stops en-p gaging the lower front corners of said bed to limit the upward movement of the fro'nt edge of said bed,- said bed formed with depending end flanges having alined bearing openings for said connection and whereby said bed is held down onsaid connection, the under side of said bed'between .said depending flanges having a longitudinal depression for said connection and alined with said openings, said flanges being extended rearward y and upwardly, and coiled compressionsprings arranged at the inner surfaces of said sldes and bearing down on said extended portions of said flanges, said sides provided with rigid portionsforming abutments for the upper ends of said springs.

In testimony whereof I afiix my I signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROWLEY' K. ORTT.

Witnesses Evnnnrr Du'rcmn, Gnn'rimon CASTLES. 

